


You're not stopping me

by who_seeks_shall_find



Series: Life as I see it [38]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Anger, Deals, F/M, Imprisonment, Prison, Unresolved Tension, post-season 6, release
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-08 06:53:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15237819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/who_seeks_shall_find/pseuds/who_seeks_shall_find
Summary: Agent Watson, other inmates and prison guards have caused a lot of problems during the last six months in Oliver's life. Yet, the last straw is when the guards don't want to release Oliver although he's officially a free man. He doesn't let anything come between him and his family again.





	You're not stopping me

**Author's Note:**

> This is a part of a series about Oliver's imprisonment and a year after it. This drabble takes place during Oliver's imprisonment. Oliver is about to be released.
> 
> The series will be updated once a day (if it's just possible). It's going to include 122 drabbles about Oliver, Felicity, William and other characters who are involved in their lives. It's going to take approximately four months to finish the series. The drabbles are linked to each other but they're NOT in a CHRONOLOGICAL order. That's why, there may also be gaps or blanks which are filled in later.
> 
> I wish that every character is respected without unnecessary hatred.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Oliver was ushered by several guards but he couldn’t care about them because the day had come. Oliver had waited for this day for a long time and now it was there. He was going to be a free man today although agent Watson had just visited him yesterday. He had been in the prison for 189 days and every day had felt longer than the day before. He missed Felicity and William with every cell and fibre of his being. It was time to go home and nothing was going to stop him today. 

Oliver looked around while he walked through the long corridors. Inmates were shouting at him like they had done on his first day there. There were insults and threats but Oliver ignored them easily. He was never going to see them again. He was never going to see his cell again. He was never going to see this prison again. Nothing could ruin his mood today. 

Although he was grateful for getting out and seeing his family and friends again, Oliver wasn’t relieved. He was sure that things had changed back at home. At least he had changed. He was sure that none of them were now the same people than they had been. They had gone through so much during the past six months and he knew that there were many unsaid things and untold stories. 

Oliver wanted to walk faster when he thought his family and home. He wanted to get out of here and be back at home already. He didn’t have time to walk slowly. Yet, a guard tightened his grip on Oliver’s arm and yanked him backwards so he couldn’t move any faster. 

It wasn’t a big act or an uncommonly violent move but it made Oliver irritated and a little rebellious. It made him feel like he wasn’t in control and he didn’t like the feeling. He had had a really hard time to accept someone doing so and at first, he had tried to fight back. Nevertheless, soon he had understood that it was just extremely stupid. There was nothing he could do about it. Besides, he hadn’t needed any more troubles. He couldn’t fight the guards and he had had his hands full with other inmates. 

The guards had disliked him from the beginning because they saw him as a criminal and maybe he was one. He had done so many morally questionable choices and his actions had been illegal. He had had no right to take justice on his own hands. Was he a good guy or a villain? It was like he wanted to believe that he was a good guy who could fight bad guys in a morally grey area. He considered himself as a man who fought ghosts in the shadows. It was the thing he had been thinking a lot while he was in his cell but he hadn’t reached any kind of conclusion.

Being the Green Arrow was a part of him forever whether he wanted it or not. Oliver had to admit that he wanted to be the Green Arrow even after everything. However, he wanted his family even more. If William or Felicity weren’t ready to let him put the mask on again, he wasn’t going to do it. He would give up on the hood for his family because these last six months had torn him apart and it wasn’t because he couldn’t be the Green Arrow. It was about his family and how he hadn’t been able to see or touch them. Yet, he already knew that giving up on being the Green Arrow wouldn’t be easy. He had tried to leave the mantle for several times but every time he had wanted to put the hood back on. 

One of the guards shoved Oliver’s shoulder when they reached a thick, well-protected metal door. It was the door between him and his freedom. Oliver didn’t look back. He only stared at the door which was going to open soon. It was his way out to his loved ones. His anticipation filled him.

There was a high-pitched alarm sound and the door slid open slowly. Two guards tightened their grips on his biceps once more so Oliver couldn’t run. Their efforts were useless, though. If he had wanted to take them out or release himself from their grips, he could have done it. Those guards were poorly trained and their physical shape couldn’t be compared to his although they were quite fit and Oliver had lost muscles during his imprisonment. 

Finally, the door was fully open and Oliver was escorted into a small space. There was only a small glass boot where people fetch their personal belongings and a few guards with Oliver’s best friend. First, Oliver was ecstatic to see John but then he saw how John was talking to the guards behind his gritted teeth and his voice was low. It seemed like he was about to explode. John didn’t even notice Oliver coming in. Immediately, Oliver was in a full panic mode. John didn’t look or act like that if everything was right because he was usually stoic and calm. 

A guard, who had come with Oliver, cleared his throat. Then John and other guards turned their attention to Oliver. John didn’t even bother to hide his concern and Oliver gulped. This was really bad. Oliver wanted to pull himself free and go to his friend. He was already about to take a step closer to John but he was forcefully pulled back by a guard.

“What’s going on, John?” Oliver asked cautiously while tried to remain rooted to the spot where he was standing. 

“Did you talk to agent Watson yesterday, Oliver?” John asked firmly without turning his gaze from the guards.

“Yes,” Oliver said carefully while his gaze shifted between John and the guards to whom John had been talking.

“We have a problem,” John said and he still wasn’t looking at Oliver. 

“What do you mean?” Oliver stammered while his heart was racing faster than before.

One of the guards who had talked with John interfered their conversation: “Agent Watson said yesterday that there was a disagreement between her and Mr. Queen. She promised to let us know when we can release, Mr. Queen.”

“There was no disagreement. She was here and we talked. That's all,” Oliver growled while he stared intensely the guard.

“Still we can’t let you out before agent Watson confirms you’re clear,” the guard said with conviction.

“You can’t be serious right now. My family is waiting for me,” Oliver exclaimed. 

He didn’t care about agent Watson or anything she had said. They had a deal and he had done everything she had asked for. He wasn’t going to listen to this rubbish. Oliver took a step forward towards the guard and immediately there were many hands keeping him at a bay. Oliver groaned and fight the hands. He wasn’t going to be here longer than he had to. He needed to see his family. 

Then John was right in front of him and he pressed his hands to Oliver’s shoulders while he said: “Oliver. You have to calm down, man. You can’t fight your way out of here. You’re not helping your case now.”

Oliver shook his head. John was right. He had to calm down immediately. He stopped wriggling and looked at John straight into the eyes. John nodded slightly and let him go. The hands of the guards replaced John’s hands on Oliver’s shoulders and arms. Oliver wanted to roll his eyes because their efforts were absolutely meaningless. 

“You are going to give me my belongings right now and then you’ll let me out of here,” Oliver said as he forced his tone to remain steady and appropriate. 

“Or what?” one of the guards challenged him.

John let out a small whistle and he said: “You have to have a death wish, man. Clearly you don’t know who you are talking to.”

Oliver breathed out through his nostrils and he clenched his fists. That guard really had a death wish and Oliver was going to grant it for him if he didn’t understand to shut his mouth. Oliver didn’t have any interest to listen to snarky and sarcastic comments. He closed his eyes to regain his composure.

“I know that you dislike me and you disrespect my choices but don’t take it out on me today,” Oliver pleaded without opening his eyes.

“If we have a reason to believe that you’re risk for public’s safety, we cannot let you go,” a guard said.

“I’m not risking anything or anyone,” Oliver answered quickly.

A few guards snorted. He sounded pathetic even in his own ears but he was ready to plead and beg if necessary. They were already late. Felicity and William were waiting for him. 

“Can you call to agent Watson so she can confirm that our deal is still valid?” Oliver asked while he became even more frustrated.

The guards looked at each other like they were lost. Then one of them shrugged and left the room. Finally, something was actually happening although Oliver wasn’t too excited about it. If agent Watson wasn’t going to keep her promises, Oliver could do nothing. There was a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn’t like that he was under someone’s mercy because it reminded him of his time in Lian Yu and his other ordeals.

Time passed and the guard hadn’t come back. John had unconsciously started pacing and Oliver envied him. He also wanted to move around but he was kept rooted by the guards. 

The more time passed, the angrier Oliver got. It had occurred to him that maybe agent Watson wasn’t behind this. Oliver didn’t like agent Watson but she seemed a woman who kept her word after all. At least she had highlighted that many times. The guards could pull his leg, though. They actually despised him and his actions. They had made it clear from the day one. 

Oliver’s patient was stretched over its limits and he spitted out: “Let’s stop playing around. Do what you want to do and say what you want to say. I’m done playing your games.”

“Luckily, you have married an intelligent woman because I can’t say you’re smart, Queen,” one of the guards snorted.

Oliver looked at the guard blankly while he pressed his lips tightly together. At least this wasn’t about agent Watson. This was guards’ way to make him pay. If he hadn’t been so furious, he could have laughed how childish and pathetic this was. 

“What do you want?” John asked and stopped pacing. 

“We want Queen to stop being a god,” another guard said.

Then that guard turned his gaze to Oliver and continued: “You have no right to lift yourself above law and humanity. You haven’t been a murderer for a long time but you’re not a saint, either. You think that you’re better than anyone else and you don’t respect the basic rights to have a fair trial or prosecution. Now you may think you’re under control. The truth is that you haven’t always been under control. You can lose the control any time. We saw how you attacked other inmates on the yard when they just mentioned your wife and son. You’re already on the edge. You just need a small push and you’re over it. We shouldn’t let you out and we need more time to convince authorities, like agent Watson. You’re a dangerous weapon which can be fired without warning.”

The chest of the guard was heaving after his speech because he hadn’t stopped to take a breath. Oliver was stunned. He hadn’t thought himself like that. Could he be driven over the edge? He had lashed out at many people and he had hurt even his loved ones. In addition, everyone close to him was a constant target. Yet, he had never thought that he was an uncontrollable weapon who could endanger innocent lives or the whole humanity. Oliver didn’t have words to answer the accusations.

Then John stepped in: “You’re partially right. Oliver can be dangerous and even deadly but he isn’t out of control.”

“We have seen him out of control and I’m sure you’re also aware of many situations when Queen’s self-control was compromised. We can’t let him be free. What if his wife or son dies? He'll become insane and go rogue. Nobody is safe then,” the guard plainly stated.

Oliver growled before John could answer: "I'm not going to talk about my family's death. If something happens to them, it happens over my dead body."

Then he took a deep breath and announced in a calm and strong voice: “I can’t promise that I won’t lose control. If someone comes close to my family or friends and threatens them, I’ll do everything in my power to keep them safe. If someone stands between me and my loved ones, I take actions. I really don’t care what it costs. However, I haven’t given any reason you to believe that I’m endangering innocent lives. I had a fight here but any husband and father would have reacted like I did. You can’t blame me for it. Those scumbags disrespected my family and now you’re standing between me and my family.”

“A strong and controlled man wouldn’t have used his fists back then,” the guard insisted.

“You may be right but those men are alive and probably seeking another fight with someone else. I see and hear your point but you have no right to keep me here anymore. Now you’re taking the law on your own hands. That doesn’t help your arguments against my actions, does it? Besides, I’ll be monitored carefully by agent Watson in the future. That was a part of the deal we made. She’ll take me out if she thinks I endanger innocent lives,” Oliver explained while he looked at the guard straight into the eyes.

The guard looked at him but he didn’t make a move to let Oliver out. They stared at each other for a long time until the guard said: “Jim, get Mr. Queen's personal items. Carter, you can open his handcuffs. There is nothing more we can do.”

Oliver nodded to the guard and Oliver’s hands were freed from the handcuffs. Then the guard called Jim brought his phone, clothes and wedding ring. First, Oliver put the ring on his finger. After that he gave a small smile to John. He was ready to go home.

**Author's Note:**

> Update for tomorrow:  
> Oliver wasn't sure what was bothering him until he remembered one word - Aruba. He would like to take Felicity to their honeymoon but it's not exactly possible.


End file.
